Not tyring to flame a post or anything like that but I don't think most players are looking at classic games again. Have you tried logging into EQ1 or Ultima Online lately? It's brutal, graphically horrible, and over all a waste of time. Those games had there day and that day has passed. Also, when did EQ2 become a classic game? It was released around the same time as WoW. So if you're going to call it classic you should probably throw WoW in your definition of classic aswell.
No offense taken, I kinda said what I did in a run-on sentence. I listed the classic games (EQ1, AC1, DAOC), then listed EQ2/WoW also because they are "older" games...not classic games. My fault for not separating them. But it's hard to imagine EQ2 & WoW are also 5 years old.
As for if I've played EQ1 lately, yes I have, I'm playing it currently and it has tons more players in it than newer games such as this one, Vanguard. It's also very close to the amount of players in EQ2, but nobody knows exactly how close since we don't know the numbers. But you can login to both games and get the same sort of feelings, such as there's a lack of lowbie population, both games are top-heavy, some servers feel like they're really empty while others are pretty populated.
When I said players are looking at the classic/older games, I mean the newer games just don't last long enough. There's either not enough content to keep people around for long (Vanguard is this way), or the endgame content sucks (Warhammer is this way), or a combination of both (AoC is this way). So because newer games with shiny graphics can't keep players for long, they end up going back to some of the older games for either nostalgia purposes or because they simply like the content/gameplay better. While many others have been jumping from one MMO to another every few months looking for "the one" and just haven't been able to find one.
I keep coming back and leaving - mostly due to lack of time, and once due to frustration boiling over.
I think the thing here is - lower level content is wonderful. If you have a great guild that still spends the time to go through it the way it was meant to be it is incredibly fun. Not rushing it - doing these multi part quests, dungeons, etc. There is great content from day one. Increasingly you have more pick up groups going as more people are coming to the game at the low level. These quest lines tho are designed around having a consistent group to work them. To date the most fun I have had is in levels 20-40.
The top level game is a grind-fest. Swamp, RI, Crypt Flips, then SOD/BOD and POTA. APW is good content - then the more casual group stuff is a big grind. Some of it is fun and some of it is not. Some of it is fun the first 5 times then not, hehe.
To a degree it follows the eq content model that happened around Velious and PoP. Grind grind grind faction for velious armor, grind PoP (but with more challenging content). And eventually great content opened up.
I don't mind a grind - it's a good time to learn a class, work with a guild, socialize. However - EQ also supported fun single group spots and had more open no grind needed raid content. More dungeons that you could walk in and just kick some butt, the original planes, etc. As well as plenty of single group or two group content for good items. I almost never raided in EQ and had plenty to do up till it got ridiculous. There was room for many years for different play styles.
Vanguard doesn't have that as a secondary. That said I keep trying other things and coming back. For me right now - this is the game if and when I have time for an MMO. I am lookign toward The Agency for something new potentially, and the Bioware star wars game, and some others.
Pantheon was a great chance for what I thought would be diffcult but more casual friendly content - and it turned out not to be that. Lucky for me I have taken the top of the game at pace and still have APW to work through slowly with my casual guild - so still content to take on for us.
Comments
No offense taken, I kinda said what I did in a run-on sentence. I listed the classic games (EQ1, AC1, DAOC), then listed EQ2/WoW also because they are "older" games...not classic games. My fault for not separating them. But it's hard to imagine EQ2 & WoW are also 5 years old.
As for if I've played EQ1 lately, yes I have, I'm playing it currently and it has tons more players in it than newer games such as this one, Vanguard. It's also very close to the amount of players in EQ2, but nobody knows exactly how close since we don't know the numbers. But you can login to both games and get the same sort of feelings, such as there's a lack of lowbie population, both games are top-heavy, some servers feel like they're really empty while others are pretty populated.
When I said players are looking at the classic/older games, I mean the newer games just don't last long enough. There's either not enough content to keep people around for long (Vanguard is this way), or the endgame content sucks (Warhammer is this way), or a combination of both (AoC is this way). So because newer games with shiny graphics can't keep players for long, they end up going back to some of the older games for either nostalgia purposes or because they simply like the content/gameplay better. While many others have been jumping from one MMO to another every few months looking for "the one" and just haven't been able to find one.
EQ1-AC1-DAOC-FFXI-L2-EQ2-WoW-DDO-GW-LoTR-VG-WAR-GW2-ESO
I keep coming back and leaving - mostly due to lack of time, and once due to frustration boiling over.
I think the thing here is - lower level content is wonderful. If you have a great guild that still spends the time to go through it the way it was meant to be it is incredibly fun. Not rushing it - doing these multi part quests, dungeons, etc. There is great content from day one. Increasingly you have more pick up groups going as more people are coming to the game at the low level. These quest lines tho are designed around having a consistent group to work them. To date the most fun I have had is in levels 20-40.
The top level game is a grind-fest. Swamp, RI, Crypt Flips, then SOD/BOD and POTA. APW is good content - then the more casual group stuff is a big grind. Some of it is fun and some of it is not. Some of it is fun the first 5 times then not, hehe.
To a degree it follows the eq content model that happened around Velious and PoP. Grind grind grind faction for velious armor, grind PoP (but with more challenging content). And eventually great content opened up.
I don't mind a grind - it's a good time to learn a class, work with a guild, socialize. However - EQ also supported fun single group spots and had more open no grind needed raid content. More dungeons that you could walk in and just kick some butt, the original planes, etc. As well as plenty of single group or two group content for good items. I almost never raided in EQ and had plenty to do up till it got ridiculous. There was room for many years for different play styles.
Vanguard doesn't have that as a secondary. That said I keep trying other things and coming back. For me right now - this is the game if and when I have time for an MMO. I am lookign toward The Agency for something new potentially, and the Bioware star wars game, and some others.
Pantheon was a great chance for what I thought would be diffcult but more casual friendly content - and it turned out not to be that. Lucky for me I have taken the top of the game at pace and still have APW to work through slowly with my casual guild - so still content to take on for us.